Document feed device

ABSTRACT

The document feed device includes an electromechanical transducer and a coupler element. The electromechanical transducer is used to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy in the form of strain waves in the elastomer coupler element. The coupler element transmits strain waves to the document. The oscillatory motion of the contact surface of the coupler element in cooperation with a confronting surface defining a document path imparts motion in a selected direction to a document disposed therebetween.

United States Patent mi 1 July 24, 1973 Knappe i 1 DOCUMENT FEED DEVICE [75] Inventor: La Verne Frank Knappe, Rochester,

Minn.

[73] Assignee: international Business Machines Corporation, Armonk,'N.Y.

221 Filed: Dec. 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 213,053

[52]- US. Cl. 271/54 [51] Int. Cl B65h 5/04 [58] Field of Search 271/54, 84; 101/232,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,156,463 11/1964 Masterson 271/54 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Robert W. Lahtinen et al.

[57] ABSTRACT The document feed device includes an electromechanical transducer and a coupler element. The electromechanical transducer is used to transform electrical en- 'ergy into mechanical energy in the form of strain waves in the elastomer coupler element. The coupler element transmits strain waves to the document. The oscillatory motion of the contact surface of the coupler element in cooperation with a confronting surface defining a document path imparts motion in a selected direction to a document disposed therebetween.

11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEII 3. 747. 921

FIG. I

MAGNET osc 4 SHAPER ss DRIVER I I 42 a; 4 0 as 37 3a 24 v SS MAGNET DRIVER H a FIG. 4

FIG. 3

7 1 DOCUMENT FEED DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Documents are commonly transported through machines for processing by continuously or intermittently running drive rolls or wheels or by drive belts. These devices require relatively complex machanism for various control functions such as starting and stopping and in addition rotating devices tend to set up electro static charges that can be difficult to dissipate and may give rise to error conditions in the associated data being processed by occasional stray coupling to data lines. Further, the complete assembly for such a system includes not only the basic belt drive or pressure rolldrive roll combination, butalso timing belt drives, geneva or the equivalent to perform incrementing functions and clutches.

In the device shown' and described herein, an elastomeric material has mechanical energy in the form of strain waves imparted thereto to induce a controlled motion in a contact surface which engages and drives the document. The excitation of the feeding device is controlled by the machine logic and may be utilized for all common document handling functions, such as transporting, aligning, incrementing, separating, feeding, stacking or selecting.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simplified docu'ment transport device without the use of motors or other rotating elements. It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanical motion under the direct control of the machine logic without the requirement for auxiliary mechanical control mechanisms, such as clutches, to achieve regulation of document motion.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an axial section view of a preferred embodiment of the document drive assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the circitry for alternately energizing the coils of the drive assembly.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partially in section of a document transport utilizing the document drive assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation partially in section of an alternative document transport embodiment utilizing a pair of document drive assemblies of FIG. 1 arranged in mirror image relation at opposite sides of a document path.

FIG. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of an alternate form of the device of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram, similar to that shown in FIG. 2, showing a switching circuit for selective circuit interruption to enable functions such as increnenting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As seen in FIG. I, a document drive assembly 10 includes an elongated elastomer member or coupler 11 that extends from a housing assembly 12. The elastomer member 11 is of generally cylindrical form with the cross section progressively reduced toward the distal end surface 13 by a surface 14. The end surface 13 is inclined and eccentrically located with respect to the axis 16.

The housing assembly 12 includes a forward body element 18, a rear body element body 19 and a cylindrical connecting shell 20 which are formed of magnetic iron. An aluminum shaft 22 is journaled in aligned axial bores in shank 23 of forward body element 18 and shank 24 of rear body element 19. Shaft 22 may be formed of any rigid, non-magnetic material which is also light in weight to minimize the effects of inertia. A magnetic iron disk 26 is pressed onto shaft 22. The elastomer member coupler 11 is received in a cylindrical bore 28 in forward body element l8 and bonded thereto along the exterior cylindrical surface. Aluminum shaft 22 has the forward end received in an axial cylindrical opening 30 in the elastomer member coupler 11 and is adhesively bonded to the coupler member cylindrical surface. A coil 32 surrounds the forward body element shank portion 23 and a coil33 surrounds rear body element shank portion 24.

It is possible to use a single coil to drive the armature 22. In'such an environment, the armature is driven in one direction by the electro magnet'and restored by the elastomer element. This approach is however speed limited since the dynamic response is dependent on the effective spring rate of the elastomer material.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the coils 32 and 33 are energized by a signal initiated by oscillator 36 that passes through amplifier 37 and shaper 38. From shaper 38 the circuit branches, one branch goes to single shot 39 with the output directed through magnet driver 40 to coil 23, while the other branch to inverter 42, single shot 43 and magnet drive 44 supplies coil 24. Accordingly during each cycle, coil 23 is pulsed during the positive half cycle and coil 24 is pulsed during the nega tive half cycle. During each cycle, magnet iron disk 26 is alternately attracted toward one and then the other of coil 23 and 24 causing shaft 22 to induce a strain wave in the elastomer member coupler 11 which travels toward the coupling surface 13. The duration of single shots 39 and 43 may be varied to optimize the strain energy imparted to the elastomer element. In practice, it is often desirable to vary the duration of the single shots to cause an overlap to accommodate the rise time of the current resulting from the inductance of the circuit.

Reciprocation of shaft 22 causes a series of longitudinal strain waves to be imparted to ,elastomer coupler member 11. As the mechanical energy in the form of strain wave is transmitted through the tapered, diminishing section portion of the couplertoward surface 13, the amplitude is correspondingly increased. It will also be noted that the driving or coupling surface 13 is exposed eccentrically with respect to the axis 16 of coupler 11. The movement of the end portion is accordingly displaced periodically in a direction having a transverse component in the direction of eccentricity by each of the strain waves imparted by the shaft 22.

As seen in FIG. 3, the elastomer coupler member 11 has a non-activated position shown in solid line view. When a strain wave is transmitted to the coupler surface 13, the elastomer material is axially elongated and because of the excentric positioning of the coupling surface 13 is also transversely deflected to the position shown in the dash line portion. Apoint of coupling surface 13 accordingly moves to an orbital path indicated by arrow A during displacement and restoration, to provide a component of the motion in the direction of arrow B and impart motion in the same direction to a document 46 when the latter is disposed between coupling surface and guide surface 47. To function in this manner, the coefficient of friction between coupler surface 13 and document 46 must be greater than the coefficient of friction between document 46 and the surface 47 that defines the document path.

An alternative configuration that is independent of relative coefficient of friction is achieved by placing two document drive assemblies 48 and 49 in mirror image positions at opposite sides of document path as shown in FIG. 4. The elastomer couplers S and 51 are positioned to present the coupling surfaces adjacent the document path defined by the surface 55.

FIG. illustrates an alternate embodiment of the transport device in which an electromagnetic transducer 60 carried by a bracket 61 and mounted on a stationary base 62 reciprocates an armature 63 in the direction shown by arrow C. An elastomer element 65 is of square cross section, secured at one end to base 62 by bolt 66 and extends through a square aperture in armature 63. Armature 63 closely surrounds elastomer element 65 to cause armature motion induced by transducer 60 to be imparted to the elastomer element.

The frequency of excitation induced by transducer 60 and the amplitude of the stroke of armature 63 are selected to cause the axis 68 of elastomer 65 to oscillate between the dash line positions 69 and 70. The transverse standing wave produced has a node point 72 intermediate armature 63 and the distal end surface 74 which engages a document 75 supported on surface 76. Oscillation of element 65 between the axis positions 69 and 70 induces document motion in the direction of arrow D.

When a document 75 is not present, the standing wave imparted to the elastomer causes any given point on the contact surface 74 to oscillate in an arcuate path. When a document is introduced between contact surface 74 and document path surface 76, the surface 74 strikes the document 75 during motion toward surface 76. This action perturbs the standing wave with the result that surface 74 moves into contact with document 75, moves substantially in unison with the document and thereafter rises from the document and moves through a closed curved path to recycle. During the period that surface 74 and document 75 move in unison, motion is imparted to the document in the direction of arrow D.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a switching circuit 80 may be placed in series with the oscillator and shaper to afford selective interruption of the drive. Accordingly, the transport may be interrupted under program control of a host system or controller to effect stepwise incremental motion.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A document transport device for moving a document along a document path comprising:

an elongated elastomer member presenting a surface adjacent one terminal end in confronting relation to said document path; and

electro mechanical transducer means secured to said elastomer member to transmit vibratory kinetic energy and strain energy to said elastomer member which induces an elliptic cyclic motion of said surface;

said cyclic motion causing said surface to move in the direction of desired document travel during the portion of cyclic motion in closest proximity to said document path, whereby a document positioned between said surface and said documemt path is propelled along said document path in the direction of motion of said surface when in closest proximity to said document path during said cyclic mo tion.

2. The document transport of claim 1 wherein said elongated elastomer member tapers toward said surface causing the amplitude of said strain energy to be increased as said surface is approached.

3. The document transport of claim 2 wherein said elongated elastomer member is inclined toward said document path and said surface is eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis of said elongated member.

4. The document transport of claim 3 further comprising a body portion secured to said elongated elastomer member about the periphery of the end opposite said one terminal end an excitation element connected to said electro mechanical transducer means and secured to said elongated elastomer member at said end opposite said one terminal end.

5. The document transport of claim 4 wherein said electro mechanical transducer means comprises an armature element connected to said excitation element and first and second coils respectively disposed at opposite axial sides of said armature element and means for alternately energizing said first and second coils.

6. A transport mechanism for moving a document along a surface defining a document path comprising an elongated elastomer element having a cantilevered portion which terminates at a surface confronting said document path excitation means connected to said elastomer element to impart strain energy thereto which progresses along said cantilevered portion and includes cyclic motion of said element surface said elastomer element surface cooperating with said surface defining said document path to move a document disposed therebetween in the direction of element surface motion during the portion of said cyclic motion when said element surface is nearest said surface defining said document path.

7. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein the coefficient of friction of said element surface is greater than the coefficient of friction of said surface defining said document path.

8. The transport mechanism of claim 7 wherein said excitation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts a cyclic vibratory motion to said elastomer element.

9. The transport mechanism of claim 8 further comprising control means for selectively interrupting the excitation of said elongated elastomer element.

10. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein said exictation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts longitudinal strain waves to said elongated elastomer element.

11. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein said excitation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts a transverse standing wave to said elongated elastomer element.

* III l 4 4 

1. A document transport device for moving a document along a document path comprising: an elongated elastomer member presenting a surface adjacent one terminal end in confronting relation to said document path; and electro mechanical transducer means secured to said elastomer member to transmit vibratory kinetic energy and strain energy to said elastomer member which induces an elliptic cyclic motion of said surface; said cyclic motion causing said surface to move in the direction of desired document travel during the portion of cyclic motion in closest proximity to said document path, whereby a document positioned between said surface and said documemt path is propelled along said document path in the direction of motion of said surface when in closest proximity to said document path during said cyclic motion.
 2. The document transport of claim 1 wherein said elongated elastomer member tapers toward said surface causing the amplitude of said strain energy to be increased as said surface is approached.
 3. The document transport of claim 2 wherein said elongated elastomer member is inclined toward said document path and said surface is eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis of said elongated member.
 4. The document transport of claim 3 further comprising a body portion secured to said elongated elastomer member about the periphery of the end opposite saId one terminal end an excitation element connected to said electro mechanical transducer means and secured to said elongated elastomer member at said end opposite said one terminal end.
 5. The document transport of claim 4 wherein said electro mechanical transducer means comprises an armature element connected to said excitation element and first and second coils respectively disposed at opposite axial sides of said armature element and means for alternately energizing said first and second coils.
 6. A transport mechanism for moving a document along a surface defining a document path comprising an elongated elastomer element having a cantilevered portion which terminates at a surface confronting said document path excitation means connected to said elastomer element to impart strain energy thereto which progresses along said cantilevered portion and includes cyclic motion of said element surface said elastomer element surface cooperating with said surface defining said document path to move a document disposed therebetween in the direction of element surface motion during the portion of said cyclic motion when said element surface is nearest said surface defining said document path.
 7. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein the coefficient of friction of said element surface is greater than the coefficient of friction of said surface defining said document path.
 8. The transport mechanism of claim 7 wherein said excitation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts a cyclic vibratory motion to said elastomer element.
 9. The transport mechanism of claim 8 further comprising control means for selectively interrupting the excitation of said elongated elastomer element.
 10. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein said exictation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts longitudinal strain waves to said elongated elastomer element.
 11. The transport mechanism of claim 6 wherein said excitation means comprises an electro mechanical transducer which imparts a transverse standing wave to said elongated elastomer element. 